Searching
by Labyrinth of Fire
Summary: He would find her. He would always find her. A dark little fic in need of reviews.


_**Author's Notes:** Just another of my dark little tales.**  
**_

_**Disclaimer**: Leroux owns all Phantom characters. _

_"Christine. Christine"_

His voice floated effortlessly through the calm night air, lazily drifting in spiraling circles to the window up above. Brushing softly against the fluttering curtains and into the dark chamber where his beloved slept. His melody a sweet duet with the crickets below.

"_Christine. Christine."_

The gentle sound of her waking sigh brought a faint smile to his twisted mouth, and renewed a deep ache to his battered heart. It has been so long since she was near him, far, far too long.

"_Christine. Christine."_

One last tug of his beautiful voice brought her to the window, her pale face and shining curls bathed in glowing moonlight. Each bleary blink of her sleepy eyes matched the desperate breaths of his lungs as his cascading love raced his heartbeat.

"Who's there?" she called out into the shadows of the night, her angelic voice caressing him, bathing him in bliss.

"_I am your Angel of Music…"_ Masked by the shadows he beckoned her to his side, holding back hope as she fought against the lure of his call. _"Come to me Angel of Music…" _

Blood burning its fiery path though his distorted body, he watched as ever so slowly she fell under his spell. So very slowly. But he had searched for ages and would not rush with the prize so close, so very close.

"I am your Angel of Music. Come to me Angel of Music…" 

His soul screamed when she stepped away from the window, away from his sight once more, but his mind knew she was coming, finally she was coming back to him. Her silent appearance at the door brought his sigh of relief but it was not finished yet, she must come to him.

"Where are you?" she whispered helplessly. "I cannot see you."

"_I am here, my angel."_ His soothing voice drifting to her across the moonlit lawn from the shadowed woods where he waited. "_Come to me, my love."_

"But it is so dark," she whimpered softly, her tears glittering so innocently as she shivered. "I am afraid."

He sighed again; caught between his fierce desire for her and the pressing need for stealth for should another see him he stood to lose everything. Staring at his trembling angel in the moonlight he bravely stepped forward into the light.

She did not run from him or make a sound, still trapped in the sweet cocoon of his spell, but watched passively as he approached. His long stride through the crisp dewy grass bring him slowly closer like a dark cloud drifting in from the horizon, as unstoppable as time. Finally he stood before her, a fallen angel and a lost child, wretched and miserable in his desperate need to be loved.

"_Come."_ He reached out one gloved hand to her, his heart whimpering as it lay exposed and vulnerable to the fickle child once more. But its mewling cries were silenced as she placed her hand in his, her watery eyes showing no fear, only trust.

"Where are we going?" she queried, tilting her head back to look up at him.

"_I am taking you home."_ He whispered softly, his voice thick with emotion as tears slipped silently down his masked cheeks. _And you will never leave me again_, he added silently as he turned to lead her from the threshold and into his night.

"Wait, let me close the door…" she murmured, turning back before he could stop her.

"**_Noooo!_**" He screamed in agony and despair as she looked back, looked and destroyed the deceitful happiness of his spell. The tiny window in the door caught the moonlight perfectly, making a perfect mirror of the smooth glass, its reflection showing her the truth. Showing him the truth.

The girl whirled back to him, her dirty blond locks dull and straight, her suntanned skin almost golden. Her eyes widened in sudden terror, her deep green eyes. He looked and saw and his heart shattered again.

"**_Christine!" _**He howled, filling the night with his pain. The girl before him screamed as he suddenly lurched towards her seeking his lost angel. Her screams filling his ears, filling his mind, blinding him and burning him as she screamed on and on.

"Stop." he hissed, his hands grasping and clawing at the obstacle before his eyes, shredding his mask as he fought to see once more, fought to escape the pain. She only screamed louder as it fell away, falling to the grass like a discarded toy. Screaming and screaming, the whole world was screaming. Screaming and screaming and screaming and… "STOP!"

The night did not reply.

With a sigh, Erik reached down and collected his torn mask, not even glancing at the dark figure lying so still beside it. It didn't matter anymore. He had to find Christine. She was waiting for him. Waiting and waiting; wondering when he would come. He would find her. He would always find her.


End file.
